Henry Coventry

    1842 - 1885

Captain Henry Amelius Coventry was the 23-year-old Grenadier Guards officer who rode Alcibiade to victory in the 1865 Grand National.

Born on May 15, 1842, he first rode in public in the Grand Military Steeplechase at Warwick, coming second on Martyr to Major Wombwell's Fanny. The following day, in the Scurry Handicap, Henry and Martyr tried again, this time successfully, giving Henry his maiden win. The partnership then won a race at Cheltenham, beating Fordham's celebrated mare, Levity.

Henry went on to win many good races, including the Veteran's Race at Rugby on Bounce while, on his own mare Agnes, he won several military races. At Harrow, Henry further enhanced his reputation by beating the crack rider Charley Boyce on Deception. Having won another race on Agnes, this time at Windsor, he sold the mare for 'a great deal of money'.

In 1863, Henry went to Baden-Baden to ride Bridegroom for Mr Cherry  Angell in the Grand Steeplechase.  Mr Angell insisted that his horse be ridden in a certain manner: Henry complied but Bridgegroom was unsettled by the new tactics and disappointed.

Then came his second mount for Mr Angell - Alcibiade in the Liverpool Grand National.

History records that this was Henry's first and last ride in the race. Alcibiade and Hall Court, the mount of Captain Tempest, jumped the last together with Hall Court patently going the better. 

Captain Tempest, however, failed to hold his horse together as Henry's delivered his horse with perfect judgment to get up on the line. This was the National's closest-ever finish (up to then).

Henry's last notable win came on Emperor lll in the 1867 National Hunt Steeplechase at Clapham Park, near Bedford.

Henry was the elder brother of crack amateur rider Arthur Coventry. 

He died on June 29,1885, aged 43. He left £6,362.